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Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to create prepaid card regulations
Scott Tong May 24, 2012
The new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced this week its efforts to regulate prepaid debit cards. Regulators fear the cards aren’t backed by protections given regular credit card holders.
Savings strategies after locking in a low rate
Chris Farrell May 11, 2012
My husband and I just refinanced our house at a great rate (15-year fixed mortgage at 2.875 percent). Our house payment is low and we can afford to pay more each month. Would the best use of our money be to pay down the principal on this low-interest loan or put extra away for retirement or for our children's college fund? We have two young children and are in our late 20s/early 30s. Thanks for your help! Katie, Helena, MT
Mortgage delinquencies down
Mitchell Hartman May 9, 2012
Credit reporting agency TransUnion says the percentage of people behind on their mortgages is down to its lowest level since 2009.
The risks of buying with no money down
Chris Farrell May 1, 2012
I recently was accepted to grad school, and my wife and I will be moving from Michigan to New Mexico. We are having a debate as to whether we should buy a home. After I finish my degree, I would like the freedom to leave New Mexico, if necessary, without having to worry about selling a home. My wife doesn't like the idea of paying rent and getting nothing back from it. Any and all advice would be much appreciated.
Wells Fargo and JPMorgan report big profits
Jeremy Hobson Apr 13, 2012
The two major banks beat expectations with JPMorgan reporting a $5.4 billion profit last quarter, and Wells Fargo making a $4.2 billion profit. Both said an uptick in mortgage lending helped their bottom lines.
The trade-off: Savings vs. mortgage
Chris Farrell Apr 3, 2012
When I look at the interest rates on various savings accounts, they are all way lower than the 4.6 percent I'm being charged on my mortgage. I do recognize my condo as providing me with a service, and my minimum payment now is actually less than the rent I was paying on a studio 4 years ago! But, if I think of the equity I gain as a sort of savings account for a future upgrade, I'm just not sure how to compare my options. The simplified thought process I currently go through is that any extra I pay on my mortgage saves me 4.6 percent in interest that I would have to pay, while that same money would only earn me maybe 2 percent in a savings account, so it is better to save 4.6 percent by never having to pay it. Am I totally off? Erin, Boston, MA
Student loan debt collectors under the microscope
Kai Ryssdal Mar 26, 2012
Are debt collectors working for the Department of Education letting debtors know their rights? Bloomberg's John Hechinger discusses the rights of borrowers.
Shooting for the stars, learning to manage debt
Tess Vigeland Mar 23, 2012
A Seattle family learns the hard way how to manage its finances.
Mortgage settlement to be closely policed
Nancy Marshall-Genzer Mar 12, 2012
The $25 billion settlement announced last month finally details all the different types of relief for borrowers. But it sure took a long time.
Chasing your debt
Bob Moon Mar 9, 2012
More and more, people with outstanding debts are finding themselves in the crosshairs of swarms of collections agencies.
